Electrical power is usually provided to residential homes at a line voltage of 120 volts AC by a public electrical utility. Inside of the home, certain applications (such as halogen lighting fixtures) require a reduction from the standard household current of 120 volts to the appropriate lighting requirements, generally 12 or 24 volts. This reduction, or step-down, in voltage is typically accomplished by means of a low voltage electrical transformer. Another type of household electrical application that requires the use of a transformer is a door bell system. A door bell system comprising one or more push button switches, electrical wiring and a chime mechanism require a transformer to step down the standard 120 volt household current to a lower voltage which is appropriate for the chime mechanism, often 16 volts. Currently, in many building applications such as a residence, electricians must search for appropriate locations to mount such low voltage transformers before they begin to pull electrical wire to complete, in the case of a door bell system, the electrical circuit between the push button switch, the transformer and the chime mechanism. The National Electric Code (“NEC”) and local codes do not permit transformers to be mounted in attics or non-accessible locations such as inside of finished walls. As such, in many cases transformers are mounted by electricians in a closet or other location close to the chime mechanism where the transformer can be hidden. This is often an inconvenience to the homeowner. Alternatively, electricians mount the transformer directly to the main electrical breaker box. This location, however, can require significantly more electrical wire and electrician time to complete the push button switch, transformer, chime mechanism electrical circuit and hence be more costly.
Ideally, the push button switch, the chime mechanism, and the low voltage transformer are all located in close proximity to each other. In practice, it rarely works this way. Because the transformer is usually mounted outside of the walls, it is located in an out-of-the-way place so as not to be an eyesore. Conversely, the chime mechanism must be mounted in an open place in the residence so that it is likely to be heard by an occupant when the push button is depressed. If mounted inside of a closet close to the transformer, for example, the sounds created by the chime mechanism might not be heard. As a result, wiring needs to be run from the push button, which is necessarily mounted near an entrance door, to the transformer, which is necessarily mounted in an out-of-the-way place, to the chime mechanism, which is necessarily mounted in a central area of the house where it can be heard. The wiring is run inside of the walls beneath sheet rock. The transformer and chime mechanism are mounted outside of the walls. If there is a substantial delay between the time the wiring is originally run and the time the chime mechanism and transformer are mounted, it can be difficult for an electrician to find the previously run wires that may have been covered by sheet rock. All of this makes the installation of a door bell system more complicated, time-consuming and expensive than is necessary.